"This cycle was most interesting," Schezalle mused as she prepared a vial of death cap mushroom toxin. "I am now acquainted with the yathrin of house Sshamath, and she freely told me of a delicious happenstance she has planned. For what purpose, it yet evades me, but nonetheless I have promised her my unswerving loyalty."

"Now we have three more tasks to accomplish, besides the matter with that faern of the Magthere of Illusion,"she said to Zarra as she placed the vial of poison into one of her belt pouches which was laying on the table before her.

"Firstly, we must investigate what has happened to House Zau'afin. Malla Yathrin does miss them so. I have a contact who may help us with this. Secondly, she has offered us a significant reward if we can discover the circumstances of the death of one Rilae'ar'an,"the matron said with a pause and then stood, beginning to loosen her armour plates. She gradually removed them, piece by piece, before eventually ridding herself of her cloth padding as well.

"Zarra, you will find out who that is, and if possible, what happened to her. Apparently she is a surfacer, but I do not want you travelling,"she said as she made her way to a warm, scented bath."Find out what you can here, and we will send a request through the network if we must. Alternatively, Malla Yathrin suggested that the recent arrival of a rivvil from the surface might prove to be sufficient enough means to acquire the information she seeks. But do not worry about him. I am sure he will be tantalized enough after I have given him a dance or two."

"At last the commission has arrived," Schezalle said to herself as she carefully looked over the book once more. "I did not expect one of the house slaves to be delivering it, but no matter. Another set of hands will prove useful here in the meantime, although the stench emanating from that little runt borders on unbearable. Who'd had thought such an incomplete thing as this tattered old book might fetch such a fine price?"

"With the house slave here to assist warehousing I can finally cease worrying about the incoming shipment from Ched Nasad and start concentrating on more important matters. First of all, to visit the Magthere of Illusion and hand over this commission after I have perused it but the once. I do not know what language it is; it seems like some older, more difficult version of the tongue of the surface rivvil. Then, finally, I might have the proper occasion to meet Izzrar and discuss a few matters of importance."

Schezalle reclined upon the sofa in her room for a moment or two before standing up and heading into the marketplace to purchase a scroll of Comprehend Languages to give the old, scorched tome a once over before handing it on to the Faern of Illusion, Nymrath.

After having exchanged a few more words with the lithe drow male, the masked and bulky figure commences the long walk west to The Shattered Scepter, an establishment rumoured to provide something to eat for someone who owns a light pouch and a low status.He grunts to himself: "Tried to put ush in a corner, the jabbuk did. But perhaps we know shomething about him too, perhapsh we do! We will hold it against him if we need." The tanarukk chuckles to himself. "Never have I heard of a tanarukk owning duergar shlaves. A strange place yesh indeed."He mulls over this claim in his mind several times, while continuing his journey for a simple meal.

"Just who is playing who," Shez murmured in the dark recesses of her lodgings. "It is a significant step for us, Zarra,"she said to her assistant as she ran through the events of the cycle in her mind.

"Bregan is very shrewd to choose us, rather than the 7th Circle, to auction off their surplus treasury. A curious, yet highly beneficial, step for the Black Claws in Sshamath. After the auctions are completed we shall move to assist the Conclave in removing this cultist threat and their despicable blockades of the tunnels."

Schezalle paused as a cunning grin grew across her face, her keen eyes glinting opportunism.

"Get the slaves to clear the warehouse, Zarra. Bregan will be sending us a caravan within the next ten cycles. You have that long to get it ready for them."

A drow male flanked by two guards comes by the Black Claws trading outpost in the corner of the markets. Schezalle rose to greet them, and brought them inside the tent for a meeting. They remained inside for some time.

After what seemed to be a rather lengthy discussion, the drow male and his guards departed the Black Claws' stall.

The following cycle the same drow male returned, guards in tow as well as a covered merchant caravan. Schezalle's house guards joined the convoy and escorted the wagon where its contents, all concealed in crates, were unloaded into her storage area. The two had another discussion before eventually the male drow and his guards once again departed.

With approximately twenty periods remaining before the live auction, the Black Claws merchant tent is abuzz with activity. Goblin and kobold slaves busily polish wares to pristine condition, others haul crates of stock about the marketplace. Schezalle sat close by, watching them all while sipping at a glass of wine.

"This had all better be worth my time,"she thought to herself as her narrowed eyes scanned about."You have disappointed me before, Sshamath."

After a rather successful auction, Schezalle reclined in thought in her private lodgings.

"The meeting with the Matron of Qu'ellar Dev'lin was a most fortunate happenstance. Yet I already see their powerplays against the Black Claws. How shrewd to wish to obtain my personal assistant for their own ends. It had been a far more diplomatic happenstance if the Matron had just come to ask me first,"she said, directing her eyes at Zarra.

"Move!"Schezalle barked at the half-drow female, Sabel, as they scaled the Z'orr'bauth. For every hesitation and stumble she struck the hapless half-breed with her gauntleted fist. When they reached Varallas passage Schezalle paused in front of the osquip merchant.

"One," she said, paying him the fee of hire. She then mounted up in the saddle of the creature and motioned for her shadow thrall to force the half-drow along in front of her while she took her ease upon the beast.

After several hours of forced march they came to the cavern in which the outpost of Undrek Vallanar sits. They had been followed by the jaluk in purple robes who wished to see the end of the half-drow's punishment.

"Do you also wish to serve malla Lolth?" she asked him with a dubious expression.

"I wish to see how this one will be punished,"he replied with a measure of reserve.

"That will be for the matrons to decide, jaluk!"she said back with a tone of irritation."Follow at your own peril,"Schezalle warned him as she dismounted the osquip and forced the female along towards the Dev'lin compound.

"You, move!"she commands the half-drow and she shoved her towards the gates. The female half-drow showed the obvious signs of one who had no idea where they were going, or what was going to happen.

"W-what did I do?"she protested as innocently as possible.

"Speak again and I shall remove your tongue!"Schezalle lashed back. The half-breed paled in fear as she was shoved along through the cavern. As they emerged into the Dev'lin grotto Shez kicked the half-drow through the gateway as an increasingly malevolent grin began to spread across her face. The half-drow stumbled along, sighing and staring at the ground still. She was be humiliated and in pain, she had no idea what to do. Shez dismissed the shadowy creature that was restraining her.

"Welcome to your new home, vith. You should be grateful for the graces of Malla Lolth, xas?"she asked mockingly.

"N-no mistress... I want to be free,"she replied, answering the question honestly. She knelt to the ground, bowing her head in the process.

"Freedom will come when you prove yourself, worm!"she scowled and lashed out at her with gauntleted fist. The female covered her face as the blows struck her to the ground. She remained still, beaten up from the few hits.

"Escape, only if you wish to be hunted,"she says in a whisper while stooping over her. She shook her head in response, having a busted lip now and more bruises. Schezalle offered a wry smirk and took her flute off her belt and played an enchanting tune on it, watching as the half-drow's wounds began to mend faster than usual.

"I can do this all day. Understand?"she said as she tucked the flute back into its place upon her right hip. She then turned her attention to the purple-clad male who had followed them. He was in the process of pulling his hood back up.

"Why are you still here, jaluk? Who are you?"she asked him, crossing her arms in impatience.

"Ghaungos,"he answered with a reverential bow.

Sabel remained upon the ground, her wounds mending. She relaxed somewhat, staring at the cavern ceiling and staying down.

"And my business interests you. . . why?"Schezalle asked the jaluk.

"I am interested in any public display of punishment,"he answered,"though it is no longer public."He turned his gaze at the half-drow who shakily placed her hands on the ground and started crawling towards the door to escape.

Schezalle noticed immediately and stamped her boot in front of her feeble attempt. The half-drow froze and did not dare place her hands on Schez. Her petrifying fear was almost palatable in the air of the cavern.

"One more movement that way and I will kill you myself,"Schezalle said with a deceptively pleasant smile."And we can't have that now, can we?"

The female made another crawling motion, sliding further towards the exit. She groaned in pain as one of her fingers began to bleed profusely, its fingernail missing. Schezalle shook her head and placed one foot in the square of her back. The half-drow had such a visage of terror that it was debatable whether she understood Schezalle's command at all. Regardless, she was not able to get to her feet in any case.

"NOOO!",she screamed in horror. "Let me go!"came her hapless cries as she thrashed about on the ground again. The foot pressed down even harder and the half-drow tried to relieve the pressure upon her thorax by laying flat upon the ground.

"I warned you, and you did not listen. One would think the lesson had been learnt by now,"she said as she leant forward, putting all her weight onto that leg. She shook her head in disappointment as she took a vial from one of her belt pouches and then drew a ceremonial dagger from one of her vambraces.

"It hurts!,"she cried out. She desperately and futilely tried to reach at the leg but was unable to bend her arms that way. Her cheek lay flat onto the stone and the tears began to flow again. Terrified eyes noticed the dagger and her voice of protest echoed out into the cavern once more.

"No! I won't move again! Please!"

"Such a waste. . ."she said in an emotionless tone as she applied the clear contents of the vial to the blade. Sabel ceased moving and placed her head face first on the ground while breathing lightly.

"I'm done. I surrender,"she capitulated, remaining still and unresistant. She had all but given up.

Schezalle stooped down and tickled the back of her neck with the blade. The half-drow did not move, her breath all but ceasing. The dagger made the tiniest of pricks, breaking the skin and introducing the venom to her circulatory system. A whimper emerged from the defeated half-drow.

"I'm dead...."she muttered below her breath as her world turned black. Her eyes fluttered in a spasm of blinking but the dim light of the phosphorescent cavern fungi faded from her vision.

"I'm really.... dead?"came another gargled whisper, as her face revealed her mentallity of 'this couldn't happen to me'. She remained there, blinded and in shock.

Shez wipeed the blade clean with a black cloth and wipes the residue on the wound for good measure. The half-drow tapped the ground and she tried to stand, seeming to think she was dead. Unfortunately, that forceful foot keeps her down. Sabel blinked, confused as she can still feel everything. As she lay there unable to see she would start to speculate that maybe even after death, one can feel everything. Shez knelt over her and whispered into her ear.

"Oh you are far from dead, vith. Death shall be yours if you do not listen,"she laughed wickedly and took the weight from her, stepping aside, knowing full well she was entirely blind. Sabel stayed down, the whispered words making reality clear. The drow laughed wickedly some more as her footsteps echoed down the corridor while walking away towards the Dev'lin compound proper to go and visit the Matron. Her voice thundered through the cavern as she gave the Dev'lin guards an instruction.

-This-! is my new present?! Lis'intha Dev'lin looks down disgustedly upon the half drow.

Her lips thin as they curl upwards into a sadistic smile as she leans over the blind Sabel and all but whispers into her ear. By all that is holy within the abyss you are going to rue this day. You are -mine- now .... and one way or another, you will be a prize. A prize that -will- bring glory to our Spider Queen. You my dear roth dung, will have two choices.

She pauses briefly as she watches the half drow closely, allowing her words to sink in. You can be made aware and prove your usefulness in servitude of Lolth, -or- you can find yourself broken, crying and screaming. Screaming for release from your pitiful life and delivered to Lolth upon an altar.

The pleasure of speaking these words are seen in the malicious grin on her face as she speaks them. One thing I promise though. No matter which you choose, the process will be long and painful. For you!

She stands once more and laughs, barking an order to the guards as she turns to leave. Once she can see again place her in a cell below and come report to me! I wish to continue our ... introduction? with a tour .... A tour that will -emphasize- the true meaning behind my words. But on your deaths! do -not- harm her ... -that- is for my pleasure alone.

With that she turns and walks away, heading to the temple where she prays at Lolth's temple. Through all victories, glory is yours. The young Dev'lin smiles wide in anticipation of what she anticipates is soon to come.

"Malla jabress,"Schezalle said after Lis'intha and finished her spiel,"I did have another item of tribute to bring to Qu'ellar Dev'lin, far exceeding the worth of this one,"she commented with a sneer towards the terrified Sabel.

"I wish, however, to gift it to malla Ilharess directly, if such is possible to arrange. I am sure she will be pleasantly pleased with it."

Bwael Lis'intha replies Come with me. I shall be walking past my mothers room. We shall see if what you have is as ... -pleasing- ... as dos believe. The smile she offers could be expressing many different things.

I am Lis'intha by the way Yath'rin of Que'llar Dev'lin and first daughter to Illharess Qil'intha.